Dania Beach hotel guest pistol-whipped, robbed
FORT LAUDERDALE - The search is on for a man and woman who pistol-whipped and robbed a visitor staying at a Dania Beach hotel.
Broward sheriff's investigators said on Monday, October 24th, a man who was in town from New York for the Dolphins game the day before was asleep in the room of his hotel, near the 300 block of N Federal Highway, when he heard a knock on the door just after 5 a.m.
Thinking it was the person who was staying with him at the hotel, he opened the door only to find a tall, thin woman wearing a red dress and white hat. Seconds later, a man wearing a red hoodie, camoflauge pants and red shoes and armed with a gun barged into the room and the woman followed.
Once inside, the armed man demanded money, and jewelry, and threatened to kill the hotel guest if he didn't comply. The armed man then pistol-whipped the guest as the woman rummaged through the room, according to sheriff's investigators. They left with cash, electronics, and other personal possessions.
Surveillance video from the hotel shows the woman entering the lobby, walking toward an exit door, and letting the man inside. Both are seen walking toward their target's room a few minutes later.
In the video, the woman can be seen knocking on the door while her accomplice paced the hall. After the robbery, the duo left the area in a newer model black Toyota Corolla.
CBS4's Peter D'Oench asked the Broward Sheriffs Office spokeswoman Gerdy St. Louis how the victim was targeted.
She said "Detectives are unaware of how he was targeted. That's why we are coming to the public and seeking information from them and hoping they can identify them and help us locate the individuals and find out how this occurred."
Anyone who can help find the man and woman in the video should call Broward Crime Stoppers at (954) 493-TIPS (8477). There is a reward of up to $5,000.
